Nigerian Women’s Bobsled Team Target Winter Olympics Medal

The Nigerian women’s Bobsled and Skeleton team are optimistic they can win a medal at the forthcoming the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea Completesportsnigeria.com (CSN)reports.

Bobsled is a winter sport which comprises of a minimum of two and maximum of four teammates that make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled. The timed runs are combined to calculate the final score.

Ngozi Onwumere, Akuoma Omeoga and Seun Adigun will represent Nigeria in the country’s first ever appearance in the sport at the 2018 Winter Olympic which will hold from the 9th of February to 25th February.

While Simi Adeagbo, who is the first African female Skeleton competitor, will also represent Nigeria at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

In seperate interviews with CSN in Lagos, the quartet thanked their sponsors for their immense support for the team.

“We are blessed to be here representing Nigeria and Africa. For me it’s an honour, it is so humbling. We are also grateful for the investments from our sponsors TravelStart Nigeria and KLM for helping create the platform,” Adigun, a former 100 metres hurdler for Nigeria, told CSN.

“We assure you that we have not come this far to give up but to make history. We want to make something special in Korea.

“The fact that we are pioneers in the sport in Nigeria makes it more delightful and the fact that we are already having a positive impact in the world is something that will spur us not only to participate at the games but also to compete for medals.”

Adigun who is the driver of Nigeria’s Women’s Bobsled team also recounted how her journey into the sport began.

“I was inspired by the members of the U.S. team and the coaches to do something to help the sport grow and bring more continents to the sport,” she added to CSN.

“It was important to try and help Nigeria get its first Winter Olympians, and also represent the continent of Africa in bobsledding.

“It seemed like it had grown to be so much larger than me at that point. It was almost like a calling from God.”

Onwumere, on her part, said: “To be the first to do anything is, I think, it’s just something that you can’t really explain.

“We don’t just want the dream to stop by qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang but making history by winning.”

Omeoga, 26, who ran track at the University of Minnesota, said:”The sponsors flying us to Korea are awesome (TravelStart Nigeria and KLM).

“A medal is almost too much to think of but actually that has never even crossed my mind yet,” she said.

“I’m just taking things one day at a time: Don’t get too ahead of yourself, don’t get too behind yourself, and don’t sell yourself short on anything.”